Eid al-Fitr special: Baklawa to Mutton Seekh Kebab; 4 mouth-watering dishes you must try

Eid al-Fitr 2022: After fasting, it’s the time to feast as Muslims across the world gear up to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with the sighting of the Shawwal moon. The most awaited festival for Muslims, Eid celebrations cannot be complete without a delectable spread of sweet and savoury traditional dishes from Sevaiyan, sheer kurma, baklava, Kashmiri biryani and a variety of other preparations. (Also read: Eid al-Fitr 2022: When will Meethi Eid be celebrated in India; all you want to know)

Celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, on Eid al-Fitr Muslims gather in mosques and Eidgahs to thank almighty for offering them health and resitance during Ramadan. Eid al-Fitr is also called Meethi Eid because a variety of sweet dishes are relished on this day to mark the end of a month of fasting.

Here are some Eid recipes that you can enjoy with your family.

Baklava

Recipe by Executive Chef Amit Kocharekar, The Resort Mumbai

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pistachios are best, or use a combination of them)

• 1 kg flaky pastry dough

• 1 cup butter, melted

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/3 teaspoon ground cloves

For the syrup:

• 1 cup water

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 cup honey

• 1 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 cinnamon stick

• Finely ground pistachios for garnish

Method:

– Lightly grease baking tray and set the oven to 180°C.

– Put the flaky pastry dough on the baking tray.

– Chop the nuts until in small, even sized pieces. Combine with sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. In a separate bowl, melt the butter in the microwave.

– Place a sheet of flaky pastry dough into the pan. Using brush, brush the flaky sheet with melted butter. Repeat 6 more times until it is 6 sheets thick, each sheet being brushed with the butter.

– Put thin layer of the nut mixture. Cover with two more sheets of flaky pastry, brushing each one with butter. Continue to repeat the nut mixture and two buttered sheets of flaky pastry until the nut mixture is all used up. Cut into equal sized squares using a sharp knife. Bake at 180°C for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden brown, and edges appear slightly crisp.

– While baking, make the syrup. Combine the cinnamon stick, sugar, lemon juice, honey, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low heat and let it simmer for 7 minutes and slightly thickened. Remove the cinnamon stick and allow to cool.

– Spoon the cooled syrup over the hot baklava and let it cool for at least 4 hours. Garnish with some finely crushed pistachios.

Mutton Seekh Kebab

Recipe by Executive Chef Amit Kocharekar, The Resort Mumbai

Ingredients:

• 350 gm mutton

• 1/2 tablespoon garlic paste

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

• 1/3 teaspoon garam masala powder

• 2 tablespoon lemon juice

• Salt as per taste

• 3 green chilli

• 1/2 tablespoon ginger paste

• 1 tablespoon coriander leaves

• 1/2 tablespoon red chilli powder

• 1 tablespoon chaat masala

• 2 teaspoon butter

Method:

– First wash the mutton and make mince of it, chop green chillies and coriander leaves.

– Take mince of mutton, chop green chillies and chop coriander leaves. Mix them.

– Transfer it to a bowl and add salt, red chilli powder, garam masala and cumin powder and ginger-garlic paste. Mix them well.

– Now, with moist hands pat the mixture, shape the mixture into kebabs and put them onto the skewers. Place the skewers into tandoor and cook until reddish-brown colour.

– Remove from the tandoor and put butter on it. Also put lemon juice and sprinkle some chat masala on top. Serve hot with green chutney.

– Instead of tandoor we can use OTG or Microwave with grill mode.

Jeera Rice and Chicken Kofta Curry

Recipe by Chef Thayanithi Tamilarasu, Executive Chef, Signature Club Resort, Brigade Hospitality

Jeera Rice Ingredients

Basmati Rice – 2 Cups

Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

Onion – 1 (Finely Chopped)

Ghee – 1 ½ tsp

Oil – 1 tsp

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp

Bay Leaf – 1 No

Cinnamon – 1 inch piece

Cloves – 3 Nos

Green Cardamom – 3 Nos

Mint Leaves – For Garnish

Method: Soak Basmati Rice for 20 minutes and drain the water out completely. In a saucepan, add ghee, oil, bay leaf, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamon, cloves and stir for a minute. Add chopped onion, ginger garlic paste and fry till the onions are translucent. Add soaked rice and 4 cups of hot water. Add salt to taste, cover and cook on low heat until all water is absorbed and the rice is fully cooked. Garnish with mint leaves.

Chicken Kofta Egg Curry Ingredients

Chicken Mince: 500 g

Eggs: 3 Nos.

Onions: Medium size – 5 Nos

Tomatoes: Medium size – 4 Nos

Oil: 75 ml

Garlic: 6 cloves (Finely Chopped)

Ginger : ½ inch piece (Finely Chopped)

Ginger garlic paste: 2 tsp

Coriander leaves chopped: ½ cup

Mint leaves chopped: ½ cup

Pepper powder: ½ tsp

Garam masala: 1 tsp

Cumin powder: 1 tsp

Coriander powder: 1 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1 tsp

Chilly powder: 1 tsp

Green chilly: 2 Nos

Salt to taste

Method:

Chicken Kofta: In a pan, sauté 2 finely chopped onions, finely chopped garlic, ginger, mint and ¼ cup coriander leaves. Add salt to taste. Allow it to cool and add to the chicken mince pepper powder and mix well. Make small balls and gently fry in 3 tablespoons of oil untill brown. Keep aside.

Eggs: Place eggs in a vessel with cold water covering about an inch above the eggs. Allow the water to boil until eggs are fully cooked. This should take about 12 to 15 minutes. De-shell the eggs and make shallow slits on the outside. In a frying pan, add two tablespoons of oil and a pinch of turmeric and fry the eggs stirring continuously, for about a minute. Keep aside.

Chicken curry: In a blender, finely grind the onions and tomatoes separately and keep aside. In a kadai, heat the remaining oil, add ground onion and fry till brown. Add ginger garlic paste and stir continuously for a few minutes on low flame. Add the ground tomato, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilly powder and continue to stir till the raw smell goes. Add the koftas, mix gently. Put the lid on and simmer for around 8 to 10 minutes. Add the eggs. Add garam masala and mix gently. In a small pan add 1 tsp oil, sauté two green chillies and add it to the curry. Switch off the flame and allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with remaining coriander leaves.

Saviya-E-Kheer

Recipe by Swapnadeep Mukherjee, Head Chef, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa

Ingredients

Vermicelli – 100 grams

Ghee – 1 tbsp

Raisins – 4 tbsp

Sliced almonds – 4 tbsp

Full cream milk – 2 ½ cups

Sugar – ½ cup

Powdered cardamom – ½ tsp

Method:

• Break vermicelli into finger sized pieces

• Take a thick bottom saucepan and add vermicelli, raisins, almonds and put it on low heat while stirring continuously. Keep heating until it gets light brown

• Then, add milk. Stir well and bring the heat to medium, bring it to boil

• Then simmer vermicelli, add sugar and cardamom and further heat for a minute. Turn off the heat. Garnish and serve either hot or chilled